Things to Do in Chennai in March
March weather, activities, events & insider tips
March Weather in Chennai
Is March Right for You?
Advantages
- Near-zero rainfall with dry, stable weather - March sits right before the monsoon kicks in, giving you consistent sunny days without the oppressive heat of peak summer. You can actually plan outdoor activities without checking the forecast obsessively.
- Lighter tourist crowds compared to December-January peak season means shorter lines at major temples, easier auto-rickshaw negotiations, and better hotel rates. Mamallapuram's Shore Temple and Marina Beach feel manageable rather than overwhelming.
- Peak festival season with Holi typically falling in March - the city takes on vibrant energy with color celebrations, cultural performances, and special temple events. The Tamil New Year preparations also start ramping up toward mid-April, so you catch the anticipatory excitement.
- Ideal beach weather for Mamallapuram and ECR (East Coast Road) destinations - the Bay of Bengal is calm, temperatures are warm but not scorching, and you can comfortably spend full days exploring coastal temples and seafood shacks without wilting by noon.
Considerations
- Heat and humidity combo hits hard by midday - that 33°C (91°F) with 70% humidity feels significantly hotter than the numbers suggest. Between 12pm-3pm, outdoor sightseeing becomes genuinely uncomfortable, and you'll sweat through cotton shirts faster than you'd expect.
- Air quality deteriorates as summer approaches - Chennai's AQI tends to climb in March with increased dust, vehicle emissions, and pre-monsoon atmospheric conditions. If you have respiratory sensitivities, mornings are noticeably clearer than afternoons.
- The city starts gearing up for summer shutdown mode - many locals plan vacations for April-May, so some smaller restaurants and shops begin irregular hours. It's not dramatic, but you might find your favorite filter coffee spot unexpectedly closed on random weekdays.
Best Activities in March
Early Morning Temple Circuit Tours
March mornings in Chennai are genuinely pleasant - temperatures hover around 24-26°C (75-79°F) before 8am, making it perfect for exploring Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Parthasarathy Temple, and San Thome Basilica before the heat builds. The light is beautiful for photography, locals are doing their morning rituals, and you avoid both the midday sun and afternoon tour bus crowds. Temple cycling tours typically start at 6am or 6:30am, covering 15-20 km (9-12 miles) through Mylapore's heritage neighborhoods.
Mamallapuram Day Trips
The 55 km (34 mile) drive south to Mamallapuram is infinitely more pleasant in March than April-May. The Shore Temple, Five Rathas, and Arjuna's Penance are all outdoor monuments with minimal shade, so March's relatively moderate heat makes exploration feasible. The Bay of Bengal breeze actually provides relief here, and the beach is swimmable without monsoon waves. Most tours leave Chennai around 7am, spend 4-5 hours in Mamallapuram, and return by 3pm before peak traffic.
Street Food Walking Tours in Georgetown and Mylapore
March evenings cool down to a manageable 26-28°C (79-82°F) after 5pm, making it ideal for 2-3 hour walking food tours through Georgetown's Burmese-influenced cuisine or Mylapore's traditional Tamil vegetarian scene. You'll try everything from kothu parotta to Burmese atho, filter coffee to jigarthanda. The humidity actually works in your favor here - it keeps the dosas crispy-edged and the vadas from drying out. Evening tours also let you experience the city's street life when locals are out shopping and eating.
Pulicat Lake Birdwatching Excursions
March marks the tail end of migratory bird season at Pulicat Lake, about 60 km (37 miles) north of Chennai. You'll still catch flamingos, pelicans, and painted storks before they depart for breeding grounds. The lagoon is at good water levels in March - not too full from monsoon, not dried out from summer heat. Early morning trips (starting 5:30am from Chennai) give you the best light and bird activity, returning by noon before the heat becomes oppressive.
Bharatanatyam Dance Performance Evenings
March is peak cultural season in Chennai with numerous dance festivals and recitals happening across venues like Narada Gana Sabha, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, and Kalakshetra. The heat makes indoor, air-conditioned cultural activities especially appealing during afternoon and evening hours. Many performances run 6:30pm-8:30pm, perfect timing after you've finished outdoor sightseeing. You'll see both established dancers and emerging talent, and the audiences are knowledgeable locals who actually understand the art form.
ECR Beach Resort Day Passes
The East Coast Road stretch from Chennai to Pondicherry is dotted with beach resorts that offer day passes in March - access to pools, beach loungers, changing facilities, and restaurants. With Bay of Bengal waters calm and warm (around 28°C/82°F), it's actually pleasant for swimming, unlike the choppy monsoon months. March weekdays are significantly less crowded than weekends when Chennai families descend en masse. Resorts around Kovalam, Mahabalipuram, and Muttukadu offer the best facilities.
March Events & Festivals
Holi Festival Celebrations
While Chennai isn't as Holi-crazy as North India, the city's growing cosmopolitan population means increasingly vibrant celebrations, especially in neighborhoods like Nungambakkam, T Nagar, and around college areas. Hotels and clubs organize color parties with music, organic colors, and traditional sweets. The Tamil community also celebrates Panguni Uthiram around the same time with temple processions and ritual celebrations.
Chennai Sangamam Festival
This multi-day cultural festival typically happens in late March, transforming public spaces across Chennai into performance venues. You'll see folk arts, traditional music, dance forms from rural Tamil Nadu, and craft exhibitions. It's specifically designed to bring village art forms into the city, so you get authentic performances you wouldn't normally see in urban venues. Most events are free and happen at locations like Elliots Beach, Nageswara Rao Park, and various temple grounds.